Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin) (Volume 1)

My full review appeared in the final issue of ICARUS magazine from Lethe Press. Short version is that this first book in the series introduces the characters and Lovecraftian mileu well, but is a bit too heavy on the sex scenes; the second book in the series ("Threshold") strikes a much better balance.

Read it all on Saturday morning, and promptly bought the rest of the series. I'm not a mystery aficionado, so I'm fairly easy to please in that regard. This universe is beautifully realized and the balance between humor and shivers is lovely. The romance is sweet, and sexy.

Well-crafted historical romance with lots of action and more than a passing nod to the HP Lovecraft mythos. Whybourne is an engaging narrator and his relationship w Griffen was a great mix of tenderness and sex. Looking forward to reading the next one.

A little long winded, but the story kept my interest, the characters were very well written and complex if not a bit occupied. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, ghosts, strong minded women and two sexy men eventually getting it on.

Fantastic book with an engaging story and characters that really jump out of the page. I love character driven stories, as well as horror stories -- so this was perfect for me. The romance is sweet and the story is satisfying. I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel!

It was a great mystery/adventure with magic and horror involved along the way. I was not as enamored about building romance, because for quite some time I just did not feel any chemistry between Griffin and Percy, even when they started having sex. I liked them as friends and I liked them separately, I just did not feel much connection between them. They did win me over in the second part of the story and if there would be further adventures, I will definitely read it.

Loved Christine's character - strong female supporting character is always a plus in my book.

As an aside I honestly do not get the criticisms I have read about this writer using anachronistic words. I note it as a matter of confusion not intending to argue with other reviews. It is NOT a historical, even though it supposedly happens in 1897. It is a very AU universe (unless somebody can produce documentary evidence of magic being used at that time or any time) In my mind that gives writer the cart blanche to go with the words which are very very anachronistic since it is not a real historical anyway.

I loved this book. The characters are extremely complex and loveable, especially Christine my favorite. The suspense was fast-paced and intense and I really couldn't put it down because I just HAD to know what happened. I also love the 'does he like me does he not like me' early part of a romance and there is just enough suspense to keep you guessing, but when it finally happens, it brings a smile to your face. A great read!

The mysteries are intriguing and definitely well written. They do rely heavily on the supernatural or paranormal, which is a plus for me. It's done so well that for those who aren't necessarily fans of magic I think will still find these stories interesting.

This was a wonderful adventure and full of twist and turns. I thought at first I would not like but I fell into loving them all and cannot wait for the next great adventure. It is thrilling and loving all rolled up into one fun book. Joe

Not quite the brilliance I was expecting given how often I hear this series spoken of. Perhaps it develops into a much stronger series as it progress. For this one, I was...not quite impressed, and I'd like to give it only 3.5 stars if that were an option.

Steampunk-ish paranormal murder mystery! I don't usually like stories with period-typical homophobia (mostly cuz I like unambiguous 'happily ever after' stories) but this world was handled really well. I loved the characters and the pacing was fantastic!! Definitely recommended.

The mystery was very good and didn't drag. Whyborne and Griffin were sweet and engaging emotionally. I thoroughly enjoyed Christine as a side character with her distinct lack of tact, subtly, and tolerance for idiots! I'm a definite fan of Jordan L. Hawk and I definitely recommend her!

Jordan L. Hawk's "Widdershins" is great fun. Very nicely written (although I kept thinking I was in England, not in New England!) with a good, punchy and creepy horror/supernatural story at the center of the narrative.

Not to mention a really nice love story.

Widdershins (which is an archaic word for "counterclockwise", evoking Terry Pratchett's DiscWorld novels) is a thriving old New England industrial town, and entirely fictitious. It is given context by its proximity to Boston and Salem, but Hawk has created this town for a very special narrative purpose.

Percival Whybourne is a brilliant but pathologically shy philologist at a great local museum (instant affection from me, also lifelong museum curator). He is shunned by his rich family and bullied by the other staff at the museum - except for Christine, the equally brilliant (and put-upon) Egyptologist at the museum. Enter the mysterious and beautiful Griffen Flaherty, a private detective with a bizarre murder case to solve, and we're off.

Being gay in America in the 1890s was difficult. Being seen as a criminal is always difficult. Being seen as criminal AND hated by your father is, well, worse. Hawk paints the portraits of both Flaherty and Whybourne extremely well - gradually adding details until we see these two men as they come to see each other. Period settings are always difficult (especially for a curator whose specialty this happens to be), but Hawk pulls it off and creates a sense of another place and another time.

Skillfully told story, set in 19th century Midwest. Repressed and painfully shy, gay man finds love and himself in this romantic suspense. A bit gory with a steampunk flair, but the lovely romance more than makes up for this monsters-in-the-basement plot line.

I just completed a whirlwind 7 days of reading through all 6 of the Whyborne & Giffin books back to back, so my review kind of encompasses all of the novels. Let me just say, I don't usually read paranormal or historical romances, so I totally went into these with no expectations whatsoever. I started out being pleasantly surprised, and was soon completely enthralled with these stories and these characters. I cannot recommend them enough. Beginning with the main characters who are both completely likeable and charming, but also are very complex characters, they're interesting. I want to know more about them, I want to watch them learn more about themselves and each other. Watching the two of these men come together and grow together was a beautiful thing. The secondary characters were also delightful...Especially Dr. Putnam. They added to the story and were also complex fully developed characters. The bond between Christine and Whyborne was again wonderful to witness, and I really appreciated the unconditional love and acceptance between these two friends. The additional background characters introduced throughout added both horror and humor! And the adventure. Oh the adventure. So much action, and suspense, and intrigue and fantasy and magic. Gosh it was so much FUN to read these books! I was glued to my kindle every spare minute I had just so I could see what was going to happen next. And watching Whyborne bloom and come into his own with Griffin by his side through thick and thin. I just cannot say enough. and I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that you should absolutely buy these books. They are a perfect combination of every good thing that makes a story great. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. Thank you to the author for giving us these characters. Kudos!

Character development, plot, setting...everything was stellar. This was one book I could not put down! I was hooked from the first sentence. The setting was well developed and the personalities involved were diverse and complex. This was an intriguing and entertaining read and definitely worth re-reading!

The author has created an interesting world filled with characters that I really like. I had a problem with the characters making choices that a trained detective should not make. That said I will be reading the next one.

This book does have the erotic moments that make it for adults only but the character development, story lines and plots are amazing. I would rate this one of the best books I have read in the past 30 years. Wonderful and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Excellent characterization, compelling storyline, and just knowing there is so much more to explore and discover with these characters made the experience even better. This book actually ignited an interest in HP Lovecraft lore and stories for me.

I enjoyed every moment I spent reading this book. The characters are rich and wonderful, the slow build of their relationship made me swoon, and the sexual tension *fans self* I loved the historical aspects of the book too. It really is a great read.

The sex scenes were hot, but, even more importantly, it actually has a plot! I'm used to the gay equivalent of trashy romance novels with a supernatural theme, and that was all I expected when I bought it. I was most pleasantly surprised when I found a Lovecraftian tale as good as any of the urban fantasies I usually read, only with sex scenes I didn't have to skim through to get back to the story. Bravo! I've bought the next 4 books, and look forward to reading more of Whyborne, Griffin, and Christine's adventures.

I like stories where one character is a bit nerdy or awkward but very smart. This was a really good story with an element of supernatural. Well written with interesting main characters and good supporting characters. Steamy sex scenes. I recommend.

While reading Widdershins one word kept repeating through my head—CUTE, cute, cute, cute. Then I thought how refreshing it was to have two strong sexy men who weren't alpha-jerks. Yeah, Griffin gets a little bossy in the bedroom, but both men are pleasantly beta-like. I liked it. They're also a little older than the average romance hero and I always like meeting a non-nubile twenty-year-old, with a little life-experience in a lead role.

The villain was appropriately evil, while the supporting bad guys had enough grey to make them interesting. There was a strong, kick-butt female character (almost unheard of in the m/m genre, in my experience). Yes, Christine for the win! The sex was hot, without ever cluttering the story and I enjoyed the writing.

So, lots to like about this book. My only real complaints were a FEW editing slips and I didn't think Whyborne got enough of credit or...is there a word for having everyone see how horribly they'd been misjudging him? Anyhow, that. But I suspect that's because he needs that same persona to carry on into future books. (Speaking of future books, this one ends. It's not a cliffy.)

I'm calling it a success on all fronts.

This was a pleasant surprise. Intelligently written, and fun, Adventure, and such delicious suspense. The characters are wonderful, and I adored the nod to Amelia Peabody, with Christine. I read two pages in the free sample and bought Widdershins now I am buying the sequel. I also intend to get the third book as soon as it comes available. Right up there with Lynn Flewelling. for a page turner.

I loved this story! My favorite thing was the characters of Whyborne and Griffin. I love how they were both insecure and needed each other. Usually in books one character is pushy and completely confident, but I loved so much how Griffin (the pushy, more confident one) was shy and sweet with his feelings, and how Whyborne (Ival!) had a lot of hidden strength that developed throughout the book.
Great original storyline, I loved the setting and tone, and the speech the characters used. I love history, so the formality and life was very intriguing to me. Also, the book had perfect grammar and editing, which was a joy compared to many books out now. The supernatural element also added to the intrigue.
I am very excited to continue the series, because the MCs work so well together, and there is so much potential that I am sure they will fufill. Also, Christine was very fun to read about. She's a bit of a contrast to the others, which keeps the action interesting. All in all, I fully recommend this series to all.

Delightful. A little too easy in parts but lovely and so what you want to read. What queer sci-fi-fantasy geek could resist? All around a lot of fun. And the sex is pretty well written. Very readable.

So. Hello, Cthulhu. It's definitely Lovecraftian fiction, that's for sure. Nothing at all wrong with that; Lovecraft himself encouraged people to use his characters, his ideas. It's also Sarah Monette Bone Key fiction, though, and I'm not at all sure how I feel about that. Granted, it ends utterly differently, and diverges a bit, but the similarities are far too pronounced to be concidence.

If I'd never read Bone Key, it would have probably been tremendously enjoyable, but the closeness made me a touch uncomfortable, and made it difficult to get really into the story.

I came across this book purely by chance. the store had listed it under the "Recommended For You" section of my Kindle app, but since I have a rather eclectic taste in books, I typically pass over anything listed there (and that's if I even bother to look in the first place).

I was especially unsure about the book since it was listed as having homosexual themes, which usually means it either A) Has some vague hint of bi-curiosity that someone, somewhere is probably writing detailed fan-fiction about, or B) is a trashy romance novel. Which don't get me wrong, romance in nice, but throw in a private island, a rich businessman, and some poor neglected housewife (whoops I mean house...husband?), plus a few more soap opera-esque themes and well...I've already put the book down and moved on to something else.

But on a whim, I downloaded a sample of the book, and I was immediately taken by the simple, easy-going feel of the writing. Despite being a period piece, the flowery language is kept to a minimum, and I never once had a flashback to reading Charles Dickens novels in high school.

After purchasing a full copy, I was even more surprised to discover the book make reference to and incorporate aspects of the Cthulhu Mythos. Of course none of it is so overt that anyone not familiar with Cthulhu is going to be missing anything. In truth, the author could have just as easily borrowed from an actual ancient religion or made one up one of her own, but I thought the inclusion of such a fringe element was a nice touch for those who are familiar with H. P. Lovecraft and his strange universe.

Then there was the sex. I admit I had not expected such, graphic detailed descriptions, and I have to say that I felt more than a little irrationally guilty reading the book in public places. But at the same time, I found it thoroughly refreshing to come across a book that didn't shy away from such details without making sex the main focus of the story.

I've since gone out and starting grabbing up everything I can by Jordan L. Hawk, and I'm about to dive into the sequel. Definitely take a look at this book if you haven't already.

This story had everything I love in a book. Romance, mystery, subtle humor, and a little bit of the paranormal.

I think the whole book kept at a great pace too. No rushed endings or changes in pacing within the story. No useless dialogue or side stories.

The characters we're real too. Every one of them. Perceval and Griffin were great together.

A must read!!!

The story moved quickly and I thought the setting felt fresh and well illustrated. The main characters self esteem issues felt a little unrealistic at first and then started to get a little annoying and whiny. I liked the way that the author developed the relationships in the book though and I thought the exploration on nature of power theme gave the book a little more heft than maybe most books from this genre.

I really loved this book! It was very engaging. The characters are well written and the story is good. Percival is so sweet I fell in love with him automatically. Can't wait to read more of the series.

As an independent author myself, I've been trying hard to read as many others as I can to spread the love around. Widdershins was a delightful surprise. So many self-pubbed novels are painful to read, which is why we get such a bad rap, but I read this delightful story in only two sittings, and that was just because I needed to get up early, so I HAD to put it down. The story was compelling, and the protagonists both clear and intriguing. I especially enjoyed Whyborne's stuttering awkwardness and self-effacing manner which was a welcome respite from the stereotypical gay men who are all beautiful, studly and full of themselves. As someone who had to overcome a stutter of his own, I could relate. It's also good, IMHO,for younger gay men to get a glimpse of the fear and self-loathing that is a part of our history. History forgotten is doomed to repeat itself. The story was well-paced. So many times I find myself skimming, but not here. When I woke up in the morning, I even went back and reread several pages over my coffee to make sure I hadn't missed anything in my sleepiness. While the erotic moments were fun, I can also say the novel would have been great read even if they'd faded to black. I'm hoping that comes across as a compliment. It means I wasn't just skimming ahead to the next love scene, but was engrossed in their entire story. The only thing I question is calling the series "W & G," since that clearly provides a spoiler. As soon as I met Griffon, I glanced back at the title page and thought, "Oh, well, I guess they must end up together." It didn't lesson the story at all, but I am curious as to Ms. Hawk's motivation for that reveal. Excellent work. I've already started the short story and plan on keeping up with the series.

Has the makings of a a delightful series. The main characters are engaging and their love affair is sweet and erotic. Even though I'm no fan of the supernatural, I love the pseudo historic atmosphere.